Vermont was recently rated by MSN as having the fourth worst tax climate in the nation, behind only New York, New Jersey and California.

Rather than take that as the dire warning it should be, our Legislature seems to have taken it as a challenge. “With just a little more effort and politics as usual we can become No. 1.”

While New York and New Jersey at least appear to be trying to hold the line in their states, the Vermont Legislature is shooting for a win: a new gas tax that will cost even the smallest car at least a dollar for every fill-up; higher property taxes; a clothing tax; a soda tax; higher income taxes; a new sales tax; higher taxes on meals; even a sandwich tax, etc., etc., etc. And all this is before the governor’s massive taxes on the healthy that will come next year.

God forbid that they should cut a program. Just let the taxpayers take the money out of their kid’s dinners or failing businesses. Truth be told, it’s not just us citizens that will feel the effect; you can bet that if any of this goes through, the next Legislature will have a whole new look.